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Natural Gas Exporting : A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come

(3BL Media/Justmeans) - In Naomi Kleinâs book,Â The Shock Doctrine, she describes the way in which special interests and their lobbyists have learned to take advantage of breaking news to push their agendas into the breech, when the media is distracted, and politicians are reaching for a quick fix. Itâs a pattern that, once you are aware of it, you see happening over and over again.

Just last month, a study released byÂ NREL, which analyzed the impact on climate posed by natural gas leaks found, that these negative impacts outweighed the benefits of using gas as a substitute for diesel fuel. This is due to the more potent greenhouse gas effect attributable to methane, the primary component of natural gas. The study did find, however, that natural gas is still less harmful than coal.

Increasing the level of natural gas production to serve a burgeoning export market might be great for the bottom line of energy companies, but it will also greatly increase the amount ofÂ frackingÂ taking place in this country.

If these were not reason enough to use restraint before approving additional exports, then consider the impact on the broader American economy. If exports take off, Americans will suddenly be forced to compete with foreigners for access to domestic gas, foreigners who, I might add, have been used to paying higher prices.

InÂ McKibben'sÂ letter to theÂ president, he wrote that, "aÂ study commissioned by the [Department of Energy] last spring found that exportingÂ U.S. gas would raise the fuelâs price here at home. Itâs basic supply and demand. More buyers overseas will drive up our domestic price by as much as 27 percent, according to the DOE. â¦"

The letter goes on to say, that "when you add it all up, using numbers from theÂ EPA, the International Energy Agency and theÂ U.S. gas industry itself, the final climate impact ofÂ fracked-and-liquified-and-exported Appalachian gas is basically as bad as burning coal in Asia. And thatâs using really conservative pollution estimates."

Gas suppliers have been chomping at the bit to increase sales, even though they know, according to aÂ eminent geologist, that dwindling supplies won't be able to meet demand in a few years. They hope to lock in those sales through infrastructure investments, which will allow them to raise prices down the road.

These recent development in Ukraine have been a dream-come-true for them, a windfall landing right in their lap. But for the rest of us, it's time to realize, that once again, we've been had.

RP Siegel

bobolink52@gmail.com

RP Siegel, author and inventor, shines a powerful light on numerous environmental and technological topics. He has been published in business and technical journals and has written three books. His third, co-authored with Roger Saillant, is Vapor Trails, an eco-thriller that is being adapted for the big screen. RP is a professional engineer – and a prolific inventor, with 50 patents, numerous awards, and several commercial products. He is president of Rain Mountain LLC and is an active environmental advocate in his hometown of Rochester, N.Y. In addition to Justmeans, he writes for Triple Pundit, ThomasNet News, and Energy Viewpoints, occasionally contributing to Mechanical Engineering, Strategy + Business, and Huffington Post. You can follow RP on Twitter, @RPSiegel.